1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of installing an elastomer ring in a semiconductor processing equipment, and more particularly to a method of installing the elastomer ring into a groove of the semiconductor processing equipment with accuracy and conformity. In addition, the present invention also provides a guiding sheet and a jig to install the elastomer ring in the semiconductor processing equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional semiconductor processing equipment is shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. The conventional semiconductor processing equipment comprises a chamber 100, and a susceptor 110, a fluid supplying unit 120, a supporting element 130, and an extending cover 140 are mounted in the chamber 100. The wafer 150 is disposed on the supporting element 130, and the wafer 150 is etched by etching gas 170. The supporting element 130 is disposed on the susceptor 110. The fluid supplying unit 120 is disposed in the susceptor 110 and the supporting element 130 to provide fluid 121. In etching process, the fluid 121 flows from the fluid supplying unit 120 toward the wafer 150. The wafer 150 floats on the supporting element 130 and the wafer 150 is etched by the etching gas 170. Slits are formed between the susceptor 110 and the supporting element 130 by the etching gas 170. The fluid 121 may flow into the groove 160 between the susceptor 110 and the supporting element 130. A passage is formed between the susceptor 110 and the extending cover 140. The fluid 121 may also flow into the passage through the slits and damage the conventional semiconductor processing equipment. In addition, the fluid 121 may induce pollution of the environment.
In order to resolve said problems, an elastomer ring 180 is utilized to seal the groove 160 between the susceptor 110 and the supporting element 130 as shown in FIG. 20. The slits between the susceptor 110 and the supporting element 130 are also blocked by the elastomer ring 180. The fluid 121 does not flow into the groove 160 and the passage, and the etching gas 170 does not erode the groove 160.
There is another problem that the size of the groove 160 between the susceptor 110 and the supporting element 130 is very small. It is not easy to install the elastomer ring 180 into the groove 160. If the elastomer ring 180 protrudes to the passage between the susceptor 110 and the extending cover 140, the conventional semiconductor processing equipment may abruptly stop working.
Furthermore, the elastomer ring 180 is eroded and becomes thinner by the fluid 121 and the etching gas 170 gradually. If the elastomer ring 180 cannot be disposed in the groove 160 evenly, users may hardly estimate the lifetime of the elastomer ring 180. If the elastomer ring is unable to block the fluid 121 and the etching gas 170 suddenly, the erosion of the groove 160 and the pollution will be induced. Many problems still exist in installing the elastomer ring 180 in a semiconductor processing equipment.